The Asia-Pacific is becoming a hot spot for stockfeed production, lifting another three per cent last year as global output topped 1 billion tonnes for the second year in a row.

Pigs, poultry and pets are driving much of the increase in the region according to the latest survey results from the annual global feed survey across 144 countries by livestock nutrition giant, Alltech.

However, stockfeed used for beef production has declined slightly as demand from chicken, pork and fish producers climbs.

The 2018 survey calculates feed tonnage totalled about 1.07b or 2.5pc more than last year, based on compound feed production information from Alltech’s sales team and feed associations worldwide.

The global feed industry is worth about $531b.

In the past five years it has grown in value about 13pc, or an average 2.5pc, in line with increasing demand for meat, milk and eggs.

China and the US produce a third of all animal feed, with China’s 186.86m tonne output leading the market.

The Asia-Pacific region produces more than 35pc of the world’s feed tonnage, although interestingly, China’s contribution has declined slightly compared to 2016 while the region’s total output grew. - Alltech Global Feed Survey

Both countries enjoyed predominant growth in the pig, broiler and dairy feed sectors last year, although that trend has also been evident across Europe and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

Europe’s overall growth trends matched Asia-Pacific driven by increases in pig, broiler and aqua feed production, particularly in Russia which moved up in country rankings from seven to four.

The seventh annual Alltech survey covers output from more than 30,000 feed mills.

Top feed producers

After China and the US, the next busiest stockfeed markets, by production rank, were Brazil, Russia, Mexico, India and Spain.

The top seven have 54pc of the world’s feed mills and account for 53pc of total production.

The Asia-Pacific region produces more than 35pc of the world’s feed tonnage, although interestingly, China’s contribution has declined slightly compared to 2016 while the region’s total output grew.

India and Thailand lifted their production output by about 8pc, and Vietnam by 4pc to become the second-highest producer of pig and aquaculture feeds in the Asia-Pacific.

The region produces 70pc of the world’s aquaculture feeds and 44pc all layer hen feed volumes.

Russian broiler feed production also increased by 3pc, while Ukraine, Romania, the UK and Belgium also reported higher chicken meat industry demand.

Pet food performance

Europe is also the top pet food producing region increasing at 17pc, but the next fastest growing region is on Australia’s doorstep, growing at 13pc a year, with Thailand, Taiwan and China the primary contributors.

Dairy feed production grew in all regions, led by Europe which increased output 2pc, however Africa saw the largest dairy feed production rise of 10pc.

Alltech chief innovation officer and vice president of corporate accounts, Aidan Connolly, said the survey was as a valuable report on the state of the industry.

“In addition to its insights into the feed industry, it serves as a barometer for agriculture as a whole and often demonstrates the economic strength of those countries included in the survey,” he said.

It was intended to serve as an information resource for policymakers, decision-makers and industry stakeholders, and a good indicator of trends in agriculture.

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